Living LIGHT knowledge helps

Last week we looked deeper in to Living LIGHT and saw that our motives matter. Today we continue to delve deeper into to Living LIGHT to see that to Live LIGHT knowledge helps.

Now it’s my contention that the Church has done it’s best work in teaching knowledge. We have Bible studies and concordances, notated Bibles and awesome apps. If you don’t know what’s in the Bible, you haven’t put the effort into it.

Can I recommend “The Bible Project” on YouTube for a general knowledge of every book in the Bible?

Do you want to go in depth? Set up a Bible study. If you don’t have someone to teach it, I will be there.

But before we get into all that there is a warning I want to remind us of.

Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:2-3

Knowledge is important but being known by God is more important.

Knowledge is part of being a disciple of God. It’s not all of it. That’s why discipleship programs rarely work. Knowledge is only as important as how it changes you.

Jesus said something about knowing that we need to remember:

John 8:31-32 NLT

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Remember who the truth is?

John 14:6

John 14:6 NIV84

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

So, we know Jesus when we are His disciples and we become His disciples as we obey him.

All that is to say, if you want to Live LIGHT knowledge helps. Because we can’t live LIGHT if we don’t rewire our brain. In order to have His yoke that is easy and His burden that is light, you need to know His thoughts for you. You need to think from the place He thinks about you.

This is a process.

Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2 NIV84

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

What are his thoughts for you?

They outnumber every grain of sand in every dune in every desert and every beach on every ocean.

see: Psalm 139:18

They are for you and not against you

see: Romans 8:31

They are thoughts of care for you.

see: 1 Peter 5:7

Aren’t you glad God looks at us from the other side of the cross?

What do I mean by that?

Hebrews 11:1-32

Hebrews 11:1–32 NIV84

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones. By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets,

Noah got drunk (Genesis 9:21)

Abraham told lies (Genesis 17:17, 25:7)

Sarah laughed at God (Genesis 18)

Isaac only redug wells and planted in a drought (Genesis 26)

Jacob was a liar (Genesis 25)

Joseph was dreamer and was abused (Genesis 37)

Moses had a stuttering problem and was a murder (Exodus 4:10)

The people grumbled and complained (Numbers 11)

Rahab was a prostitute (Joshua 2:1)

Gideon was afraid (Judges 6)

Barak was saved by a girl (Judges 4)

Samson was a womanizer (Judges 16:17,5)

Jephthah was a son of a prostitute who offered his own daughter as a sacrifice (Judges 11)

David was an adulterer and a murderer (2 Samuel 11)

Samuel raised dishonest sons (1 Samuel 8)

Hebrews 11:33-40

Hebrews 11:33–40 NIV84

who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

v.38 the world was not worthy of them.

God looks at us from the other side of the cross.

Why is this important?

We can’t define ourselves by what we’ve done or not done. We can only define ourselves the way G od sees us.

WHO I AM IN CHRIST

In Christ I AM ACCEPTED...

I am God's child. John 1:12

I am a friend of Jesus Christ.John 15:15

I have been justified (declared righteous). Romans 5:1

I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17

I have been bought with a price and I belong to God. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I am a member of Christ's body. 1 Corinthians 12:27

I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child. Ephesians 1:3-8

I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. Colossians 1:13-14

I am complete in Christ. Colossians 2:9-10

I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:14-16

In Christ I AM SECURE...

I am free from condemnation. Romans 8:1-2

I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances. Romans 8:28

I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be

separated from the love of God. Romans 8:31-39

I have been established, anointed and sealed by God. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

I am hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-4

I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me. Philippians 1:6

I am a citizen of heaven. Philippians 3:20

I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me. 1 John 5:18

In Christ I AM SIGNIFICANT...

I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life. John 15:5

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. John 15:16

I am God's temple. 1 Corinthians 3:16

I am a minister of reconciliation for God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm. Ephesians 2:6

I am God's workmanship. Ephesians 2:10

I may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Go to http://iharvest.ca/living-light/ and print off your personalized Identity in Christ.

Knowledge itself isn’t enough. We can’t hold it as an idea in our head or sentiment in our heart, we need to work out it’s implication in every area of our lives.

What is your heart?

Your heart is your i ntellect, e motion and w ill. What you think, what you feel and what you do.

How do things move from your intellect to your emotions? It’s a supernatural work of God. That doesn’t mean we don’t play our part. Our job often is to line up what we believe with what we do and expect God to line our emotions up with that.

You can’t know what God thinks about you and live the same life the same way. You can’t be like the people around you. You’ve been bought with a price you belong to God.

Knowledge is only as important as w hat you do with it.

Sin has no hold on you. Consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God. Romans 6:11

Put sin to death. Romans 8:13

Don’t allow this world to conform you. Your mind is transformed as you renew it. Romans 12:2

You’ve been raised with Christ, so set your hearts on things above. Colossians 3:1

How do you do that?

…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Live up to what you’ve already attained.

What is keeping you from agreeing with God about the truth He sees in you?